Lenwell Property Services & Management in Luton

Laxton Close - Luton

**No tenant admin fee and just 5 weeks deposit** Laxton Close, Wigmore Ref P9586 4 Bedroom extended family home in Wigmore Located in one of the most sought after parts of Luton opposite a pleasant communal green. Close to the local ASDA superstore and Wi… More »

Laxton Close - Luton

**No tenant admin fee and just 5 weeks deposit** Laxton Close, Wigmore Ref P9586 4 Bedroom extended family home in Wigmore Located in one of the most sought after parts of Luton opposite a pleasant communal green. Close to the local ASDA superstore and Wi… More »

Browning Road - Luton

A semi-detached three/four bedroom bungalow located within easy access to both the M1 and Luton & Dunstable Hospital. The property has a porch, entrance hall, cloakroom, 4 double bedrooms, living room, kitchen with hob, oven, fridge/freezer and washing and a b… More »

Browning Road - Luton

A semi-detached three/four bedroom bungalow located within easy access to both the M1 and Luton & Dunstable Hospital. The property has a porch, entrance hall, cloakroom, 4 double bedrooms, living room, kitchen with hob, oven, fridge/freezer and washing and a b… More »

Baker Street - Luton

Baker Street - Luton

Griffin Court - Luton

**5 WEEKS DEPOSIT ONLY** AVAILABLE NOW Beautiful, brand new 2 bed apartment Griffin Court, Saxon Square - Kimpton Road ref p10501 Lenwell are delighted to offer this beautiful, brand new Two bedroom top floor apartment in this exciting new development Saxo… More »

Griffin Court - Luton

**5 WEEKS DEPOSIT ONLY** AVAILABLE NOW Beautiful, brand new 2 bed apartment Griffin Court, Saxon Square - Kimpton Road ref p10501 Lenwell are delighted to offer this beautiful, brand new Two bedroom top floor apartment in this exciting new development Saxo… More »

Buchanan Drive - Luton

Large 3 bedroom split level House with garage This large and well presented property boasts 2 bathrooms and 3 double bedrooms, a spacious lounge diner and a garage with driveway parking. Lovely views to the rear and a good modern standard of decor put this p… More »

Buchanan Drive - Luton

Large 3 bedroom split level House with garage This large and well presented property boasts 2 bathrooms and 3 double bedrooms, a spacious lounge diner and a garage with driveway parking. Lovely views to the rear and a good modern standard of decor put this p… More »

The University of Luton has 1,600 study bedrooms in 11 self-catering halls of residence for first-year students

Good housing certainly isn't in short supply in Luton. The town centre has a wealth of period architecture, with well over 50 buildings listed as grade II. Here, the dwellings are typically Victorian or early 20th century. With bags of character and charm, they are ideal for people looking to enjoy an urban lifestyle.

As you head out of the centre, the housing generally becomes progressively more contemporary, with a choice ranging from 1950s and 1960s developments, to brand new executive homes.

There are prices to suit most pockets, and they are significantly lower than for similar accommodation in London and other parts of the South East. Prices in the lively rental market are also highly competitive.

But Luton isn't just known for the quality of its housing stock - it's also working hard to improve the quality of home life. One recent innovation is Home Zones. Essentially residential streets where people and cyclists come before vehicles, the biggest – Lewsey Home Zone – covers 13 streets.

Shopping

Right at the heart of the town, the Arndale Shopping Centre has 130 stores, three integrated car parks with 2,300 spaces, The Arndale Playgroup and Crèche and the Luton Shopmobility scheme. The surrounding traditional shopping streets and Luton's famous markets perfectly complement the Centre, and act as yet another testament to the town's diversity.

Transport

Luton has 2 national mainline railway stations

London Luton Airport is home to nearly 50 tour operators, with nine airlines flying to over 60 destinations across the UK and Europe

6.2 million passengers use London Luton Airport every year

Luton has a joined-up transport policy, including new park-and-ride facilities and cycle lanes

There are plans to create a Translink service to the airport and Dunstable

An investment of £100 million, Translink will be environmentally friendly and ultra-efficient

With the sheer pace of modern life, Luton's superb transport links are proving more valuable than ever to people travelling into, around, and out of the town.

Situated just off the country's primary M1 motorway, only a few minutes from the M25 and 30 miles from the centre of London, Luton has excellent road connections. No fewer than three railway stations serve the town. The capital is just 24 minutes away. Looking further afield, there are fast national rail connections to Leeds, Sheffield and beyond to the north, and a direct service to Gatwick and Brighton to the south.

Those with their eyes on international travel need go no further than London Luton Airport. Currently the UK's seventh largest, it's also the fastest growing airport in the country, handling more than six million passengers every year. Its expansion is hardly surprising, given the ever-increasing number of routes to a wide range of destinations from Athens to Zurich as well as a wide range of cities in the UK.

When it comes to getting around the town, there is a vigorous policy to increase the attractiveness of cycling as a healthy, non-polluting alternative to the private car. The strategy includes the provision of a cycle-friendly infrastructure and setting priorities for action.

Business

Today, Luton has a broader economic and commercial base than ever, with a host of major national and global businesses offering the local community an extensive range of career prospects.

Vauxhall Motors maintains its long-standing presence in Luton, with UK headquarters and a European Customer Care Centre based in the town. Its sister company IBC also has a major manufacturing facility here. Other names on the impressive list of local employers include Anritsu, Barclays Bank, Ernst & Young, Interbrew, ntl, Rexam, Siemens and Whitbread. Alongside these can be found the various major airline and travel companies associated with the airport, such as Britannia Airways, easyJet, Alteon, Monarch, Ryanair and Thomson Travel.

As if that wasn’t enough, AstraZeneca – one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturers – and BAe Systems have chosen to develop state-of-the-art facilities at the Capability Green business park. And indeed, high quality business centres like this are playing a major part in attracting such prestigious organisations to Luton.

The effect on the landscape has been dramatic; and the effect on the local workforce equally so, as Luton’s skilled, ambitious workforce embraces the town’s ever-expanding job opportunities.

Education

Luton University specialises in vocational, employment-based courses

It leads the field in areas like business, marketing and public relations

The university has links with over 2,000 companies

More than £50 million has been spent on new academic and accommodation facilities in the last ten years

1 in 3 students at Luton University are from ethnic minorities

Nearly half are mature students, aged over 24

The male to female ratio is 40:60

Teaching quality assessments place Luton well in the top half of the universities league table

Luton 6th Form College is the country’s oldest

Of Luton’s 12 high schools, one is Catholic

Barnfield College is the first and only further education college of it's kind to achieve Beacon Status.

The University of Luton’s contribution to the town’s economic renaissance cannot be ignored. With its emphasis on professional and vocational courses, extensive business links and strong teaching standards, it has twice finished top of the annual national graduate employment tables. This is hardly surprising when you learn that some 97% of the university’s 12,000 students find work suited to their degrees within six months of graduation.

It’s a university with universal appeal. Some 140 countries are represented among the student population, giving the university a diverse, multicultural flavour to rival the wider town’s – which is why focus groups have found students describing the environment as ‘lively’, ‘friendly’, ‘busy’, ‘sociable’, ‘modern’ and benefiting from ‘a good ethnic mix’.

Moreover, the university’s success is mirrored at all academic levels. To start with, the Children’s Information Service takes a supportive, progressive approach to pre-school teaching and childcare. From there, the 70 or so nursery, infant and junior schools, and 12 high schools ensure that the town’s future is well looked after. Between school and university, the country’s oldest 6th form college and Barnfield FE College share a reputation for excellent teaching standards. And finally, to prove that age is no barrier to learning, the University of the Third Age has a number of groups active here.

Environment

Dunstable Downs, Whipsnade Wild Animal Kingdom and Woburn Abbey are all within a short drive of the town centre

Woburn Safari Park is set in 3,000 acres of the North Chilterns and has been home to the Earl of Bedford since 1574

The Queen used to be a regular at Luton Hoo stately home on her wedding anniversary

Luton Hoo is regularly used as a location for filming. Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow and pop star Ronan Keating are among the high profile stars to visit

One of the first big surprises awaiting newcomers is the sheer amount of greenery in and around the town. It’s a little-known fact that Luton is home to several nationally significant sites of special scientific interest, such as areas of Bronze Age grassland and wildlife sites with an illustrious range of wildflowers and butterflies. Plus, as well as being situated within the breathtaking North Chilterns area of outstanding natural beauty, the town itself houses seven landscaped parks. So it’s easy to lose yourself in natural splendour.

With around 600 hectares of parks and public open space, there’s plenty of opportunity to relax. The nationally renowned Stockwood Park alone features period gardens, a leading crafts museum, stable complex and extensive golfing facilities; and Wardown Park, on the River Lea and at the heart of the town, offers everything from sporting facilities to a museum, gallery and formal gardens.

That said, it’s by venturing out a few miles that you’ll discover the true delights of the surrounding countryside. Nestling among the gently rolling hills and downs are unspoilt villages and places of national interest such as Woburn Abbey and Whipsnade Wild Animal Kingdom. All of which makes Luton an ideal place to get closer to nature, without ever straying far from the town.

Culture

During Luton International Carnival in late May, thousands of dancers, bands and floats flood the streets

Stockwood Park hosts ‘Park Life’, a major annual open air festival of arts, culture and entertainment and includes Luton Mela, a showcase for Asian music, crafts, fashion, food and performing arts

Amongst the landscaped parks and hundred or so listed buildings, Luton plays host to a thriving cultural scene that represents all parts of the community.

Undoubtedly the biggest event on the cultural calendar is Luton International Carnival, which has been held since 1976 and is more popular than ever. Now the largest one-day carnival in Europe, it attracts upwards of 140,000 people to the town on the late May Bank Holiday and stands as an unmistakable symbol of Luton’s pledge to cultural harmony.

Cultural events throughout the year are just as diverse, ranging from the highly regarded Symphonia Academica classical music concerts and community festivals to the annual, internationally renowned Filmstock film festival. All the while, the Library Theatre nourishes the soul with everything from music, cinema and comedy to professional, amateur and children’s theatre.

Crucially, to ensure Luton’s cultural future is as rich as its past, the ‘Hat Factory’ Arts and Media Centre has devised an exciting ‘start-up’ initiative to assist cutting-edge local creative business and community arts organisations. The same venue also houses a performing venue, exhibition and conference centre, and accompanying restaurant and café.

Leisure

Stockwood Park is the home of an athletics club, 18-hole public golf course, Junior Golf Academy and 24-bay floodlit driving range

Luton Borough Council provides sporting and social facilities from six specific leisure sites

More than 130 outdoor sports pitches across the town provide facilities for sports including football, rugby, cricket, bowls, hockey, tennis, badminton and netball

Luton has six swimming pools and two golf courses

There’s certainly no shortage of sporting action in Luton. Football fans can follow the fortunes of Luton Town FC at Kenilworth Road, and the town is also home to two rugby union clubs – Luton RFC and Stockwood Park RFC – a number of fledgling basketball teams and an athletics club.

For those looking to participate rather than spectate, Stockwood Park’s athletics track is open to everyone from the casual jogger to the hardened competitor, and its 18-hole golf course has been voted the best public course in the South East.

A number of health clubs offer top quality health and fitness facilities, as do seven leisure centres, four of which incorporate swimming pools. Over 130 outdoor pitches, greens and courts provide amenities for sports such as football, rugby, cricket, bowls, hockey, tennis, badminton and netball. And anyone keen to take to the skies can do just that, with gliding, hang-gliding and paragliding over the Dunstable Downs.

There’s as much here to exercise the mind as the body too. The nationally significant hat and lace collection at the Luton Museum and Gallery in Wardown Park is a proud product of Luton’s textile and hat making heritage. The same museum contains a collection of ancient artefacts including a collection of Roman coins that’s recently been declared a national treasure. Similarly, the Mossman collection of horse-drawn carriages in Stockwood Craft Museum and Gardens is one of the finest displays of its kind in the country.

Entertainment

When the sun goes down, Luton really comes to life. So after a hard day’s shopping in the town centre, a full suite of entertainment awaits.

Family entertainment begins at the Galaxy Centre, which is home to the country’s first town centre multiplex cinema, plus a bowling complex.

Food lovers will find a pleasing variety of restaurants and eateries around the town, with cuisines ranging from traditional English to French, Thai, Greek, Italian, Chinese and Indian.

Luton’s pubs and bars range from the quiet to the lively; the traditional to the ultra-modern; from low-priced to highly sophisticated. And the burgeoning club scene is just as diverse and impressive, with a number receiving national recognition and one rated among the UK’s true superclubs.

All in all, a night out in Luton has something for everyone. And even on those rare occasions when it’s London or bust, Luton’s location once again comes into its own, with the West End no more than 40 minutes away.

Office Location

Lenwell Property Services & Management in Luton

Laxton Close - Luton

**No tenant admin fee and just 5 weeks deposit** Laxton Close, Wigmore Ref P9586 4 Bedroom extended family home in Wigmore Located in one of the most sought after parts of Luton opposite a pleasant communal green. Close to the local ASDA superstore and Wi… More »

Laxton Close - Luton

**No tenant admin fee and just 5 weeks deposit** Laxton Close, Wigmore Ref P9586 4 Bedroom extended family home in Wigmore Located in one of the most sought after parts of Luton opposite a pleasant communal green. Close to the local ASDA superstore and Wi… More »

Browning Road - Luton

A semi-detached three/four bedroom bungalow located within easy access to both the M1 and Luton & Dunstable Hospital. The property has a porch, entrance hall, cloakroom, 4 double bedrooms, living room, kitchen with hob, oven, fridge/freezer and washing and a b… More »

Browning Road - Luton

A semi-detached three/four bedroom bungalow located within easy access to both the M1 and Luton & Dunstable Hospital. The property has a porch, entrance hall, cloakroom, 4 double bedrooms, living room, kitchen with hob, oven, fridge/freezer and washing and a b… More »

Baker Street - Luton

Baker Street - Luton

Griffin Court - Luton

**5 WEEKS DEPOSIT ONLY** AVAILABLE NOW Beautiful, brand new 2 bed apartment Griffin Court, Saxon Square - Kimpton Road ref p10501 Lenwell are delighted to offer this beautiful, brand new Two bedroom top floor apartment in this exciting new development Saxo… More »

Griffin Court - Luton

**5 WEEKS DEPOSIT ONLY** AVAILABLE NOW Beautiful, brand new 2 bed apartment Griffin Court, Saxon Square - Kimpton Road ref p10501 Lenwell are delighted to offer this beautiful, brand new Two bedroom top floor apartment in this exciting new development Saxo… More »

Buchanan Drive - Luton

Large 3 bedroom split level House with garage This large and well presented property boasts 2 bathrooms and 3 double bedrooms, a spacious lounge diner and a garage with driveway parking. Lovely views to the rear and a good modern standard of decor put this p… More »

Buchanan Drive - Luton

Large 3 bedroom split level House with garage This large and well presented property boasts 2 bathrooms and 3 double bedrooms, a spacious lounge diner and a garage with driveway parking. Lovely views to the rear and a good modern standard of decor put this p… More »

The University of Luton has 1,600 study bedrooms in 11 self-catering halls of residence for first-year students

Good housing certainly isn't in short supply in Luton. The town centre has a wealth of period architecture, with well over 50 buildings listed as grade II. Here, the dwellings are typically Victorian or early 20th century. With bags of character and charm, they are ideal for people looking to enjoy an urban lifestyle.

As you head out of the centre, the housing generally becomes progressively more contemporary, with a choice ranging from 1950s and 1960s developments, to brand new executive homes.

There are prices to suit most pockets, and they are significantly lower than for similar accommodation in London and other parts of the South East. Prices in the lively rental market are also highly competitive.

But Luton isn't just known for the quality of its housing stock - it's also working hard to improve the quality of home life. One recent innovation is Home Zones. Essentially residential streets where people and cyclists come before vehicles, the biggest – Lewsey Home Zone – covers 13 streets.

Shopping

Right at the heart of the town, the Arndale Shopping Centre has 130 stores, three integrated car parks with 2,300 spaces, The Arndale Playgroup and Crèche and the Luton Shopmobility scheme. The surrounding traditional shopping streets and Luton's famous markets perfectly complement the Centre, and act as yet another testament to the town's diversity.

Transport

Luton has 2 national mainline railway stations

London Luton Airport is home to nearly 50 tour operators, with nine airlines flying to over 60 destinations across the UK and Europe

6.2 million passengers use London Luton Airport every year

Luton has a joined-up transport policy, including new park-and-ride facilities and cycle lanes

There are plans to create a Translink service to the airport and Dunstable

An investment of £100 million, Translink will be environmentally friendly and ultra-efficient

With the sheer pace of modern life, Luton's superb transport links are proving more valuable than ever to people travelling into, around, and out of the town.

Situated just off the country's primary M1 motorway, only a few minutes from the M25 and 30 miles from the centre of London, Luton has excellent road connections. No fewer than three railway stations serve the town. The capital is just 24 minutes away. Looking further afield, there are fast national rail connections to Leeds, Sheffield and beyond to the north, and a direct service to Gatwick and Brighton to the south.

Those with their eyes on international travel need go no further than London Luton Airport. Currently the UK's seventh largest, it's also the fastest growing airport in the country, handling more than six million passengers every year. Its expansion is hardly surprising, given the ever-increasing number of routes to a wide range of destinations from Athens to Zurich as well as a wide range of cities in the UK.

When it comes to getting around the town, there is a vigorous policy to increase the attractiveness of cycling as a healthy, non-polluting alternative to the private car. The strategy includes the provision of a cycle-friendly infrastructure and setting priorities for action.

Business

Today, Luton has a broader economic and commercial base than ever, with a host of major national and global businesses offering the local community an extensive range of career prospects.

Vauxhall Motors maintains its long-standing presence in Luton, with UK headquarters and a European Customer Care Centre based in the town. Its sister company IBC also has a major manufacturing facility here. Other names on the impressive list of local employers include Anritsu, Barclays Bank, Ernst & Young, Interbrew, ntl, Rexam, Siemens and Whitbread. Alongside these can be found the various major airline and travel companies associated with the airport, such as Britannia Airways, easyJet, Alteon, Monarch, Ryanair and Thomson Travel.

As if that wasn’t enough, AstraZeneca – one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturers – and BAe Systems have chosen to develop state-of-the-art facilities at the Capability Green business park. And indeed, high quality business centres like this are playing a major part in attracting such prestigious organisations to Luton.

The effect on the landscape has been dramatic; and the effect on the local workforce equally so, as Luton’s skilled, ambitious workforce embraces the town’s ever-expanding job opportunities.

Education

Luton University specialises in vocational, employment-based courses

It leads the field in areas like business, marketing and public relations

The university has links with over 2,000 companies

More than £50 million has been spent on new academic and accommodation facilities in the last ten years

1 in 3 students at Luton University are from ethnic minorities

Nearly half are mature students, aged over 24

The male to female ratio is 40:60

Teaching quality assessments place Luton well in the top half of the universities league table

Luton 6th Form College is the country’s oldest

Of Luton’s 12 high schools, one is Catholic

Barnfield College is the first and only further education college of it's kind to achieve Beacon Status.

The University of Luton’s contribution to the town’s economic renaissance cannot be ignored. With its emphasis on professional and vocational courses, extensive business links and strong teaching standards, it has twice finished top of the annual national graduate employment tables. This is hardly surprising when you learn that some 97% of the university’s 12,000 students find work suited to their degrees within six months of graduation.

It’s a university with universal appeal. Some 140 countries are represented among the student population, giving the university a diverse, multicultural flavour to rival the wider town’s – which is why focus groups have found students describing the environment as ‘lively’, ‘friendly’, ‘busy’, ‘sociable’, ‘modern’ and benefiting from ‘a good ethnic mix’.

Moreover, the university’s success is mirrored at all academic levels. To start with, the Children’s Information Service takes a supportive, progressive approach to pre-school teaching and childcare. From there, the 70 or so nursery, infant and junior schools, and 12 high schools ensure that the town’s future is well looked after. Between school and university, the country’s oldest 6th form college and Barnfield FE College share a reputation for excellent teaching standards. And finally, to prove that age is no barrier to learning, the University of the Third Age has a number of groups active here.

Environment

Dunstable Downs, Whipsnade Wild Animal Kingdom and Woburn Abbey are all within a short drive of the town centre

Woburn Safari Park is set in 3,000 acres of the North Chilterns and has been home to the Earl of Bedford since 1574

The Queen used to be a regular at Luton Hoo stately home on her wedding anniversary

Luton Hoo is regularly used as a location for filming. Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow and pop star Ronan Keating are among the high profile stars to visit

One of the first big surprises awaiting newcomers is the sheer amount of greenery in and around the town. It’s a little-known fact that Luton is home to several nationally significant sites of special scientific interest, such as areas of Bronze Age grassland and wildlife sites with an illustrious range of wildflowers and butterflies. Plus, as well as being situated within the breathtaking North Chilterns area of outstanding natural beauty, the town itself houses seven landscaped parks. So it’s easy to lose yourself in natural splendour.

With around 600 hectares of parks and public open space, there’s plenty of opportunity to relax. The nationally renowned Stockwood Park alone features period gardens, a leading crafts museum, stable complex and extensive golfing facilities; and Wardown Park, on the River Lea and at the heart of the town, offers everything from sporting facilities to a museum, gallery and formal gardens.

That said, it’s by venturing out a few miles that you’ll discover the true delights of the surrounding countryside. Nestling among the gently rolling hills and downs are unspoilt villages and places of national interest such as Woburn Abbey and Whipsnade Wild Animal Kingdom. All of which makes Luton an ideal place to get closer to nature, without ever straying far from the town.

Culture

During Luton International Carnival in late May, thousands of dancers, bands and floats flood the streets

Stockwood Park hosts ‘Park Life’, a major annual open air festival of arts, culture and entertainment and includes Luton Mela, a showcase for Asian music, crafts, fashion, food and performing arts

Amongst the landscaped parks and hundred or so listed buildings, Luton plays host to a thriving cultural scene that represents all parts of the community.

Undoubtedly the biggest event on the cultural calendar is Luton International Carnival, which has been held since 1976 and is more popular than ever. Now the largest one-day carnival in Europe, it attracts upwards of 140,000 people to the town on the late May Bank Holiday and stands as an unmistakable symbol of Luton’s pledge to cultural harmony.

Cultural events throughout the year are just as diverse, ranging from the highly regarded Symphonia Academica classical music concerts and community festivals to the annual, internationally renowned Filmstock film festival. All the while, the Library Theatre nourishes the soul with everything from music, cinema and comedy to professional, amateur and children’s theatre.

Crucially, to ensure Luton’s cultural future is as rich as its past, the ‘Hat Factory’ Arts and Media Centre has devised an exciting ‘start-up’ initiative to assist cutting-edge local creative business and community arts organisations. The same venue also houses a performing venue, exhibition and conference centre, and accompanying restaurant and café.

Leisure

Stockwood Park is the home of an athletics club, 18-hole public golf course, Junior Golf Academy and 24-bay floodlit driving range

Luton Borough Council provides sporting and social facilities from six specific leisure sites

More than 130 outdoor sports pitches across the town provide facilities for sports including football, rugby, cricket, bowls, hockey, tennis, badminton and netball

Luton has six swimming pools and two golf courses

There’s certainly no shortage of sporting action in Luton. Football fans can follow the fortunes of Luton Town FC at Kenilworth Road, and the town is also home to two rugby union clubs – Luton RFC and Stockwood Park RFC – a number of fledgling basketball teams and an athletics club.

For those looking to participate rather than spectate, Stockwood Park’s athletics track is open to everyone from the casual jogger to the hardened competitor, and its 18-hole golf course has been voted the best public course in the South East.

A number of health clubs offer top quality health and fitness facilities, as do seven leisure centres, four of which incorporate swimming pools. Over 130 outdoor pitches, greens and courts provide amenities for sports such as football, rugby, cricket, bowls, hockey, tennis, badminton and netball. And anyone keen to take to the skies can do just that, with gliding, hang-gliding and paragliding over the Dunstable Downs.

There’s as much here to exercise the mind as the body too. The nationally significant hat and lace collection at the Luton Museum and Gallery in Wardown Park is a proud product of Luton’s textile and hat making heritage. The same museum contains a collection of ancient artefacts including a collection of Roman coins that’s recently been declared a national treasure. Similarly, the Mossman collection of horse-drawn carriages in Stockwood Craft Museum and Gardens is one of the finest displays of its kind in the country.

Entertainment

When the sun goes down, Luton really comes to life. So after a hard day’s shopping in the town centre, a full suite of entertainment awaits.

Family entertainment begins at the Galaxy Centre, which is home to the country’s first town centre multiplex cinema, plus a bowling complex.

Food lovers will find a pleasing variety of restaurants and eateries around the town, with cuisines ranging from traditional English to French, Thai, Greek, Italian, Chinese and Indian.

Luton’s pubs and bars range from the quiet to the lively; the traditional to the ultra-modern; from low-priced to highly sophisticated. And the burgeoning club scene is just as diverse and impressive, with a number receiving national recognition and one rated among the UK’s true superclubs.

All in all, a night out in Luton has something for everyone. And even on those rare occasions when it’s London or bust, Luton’s location once again comes into its own, with the West End no more than 40 minutes away.

Let the good times begin!

Housing

Luton has over 70,000 households

Some buildings date back to the Middle Ages

The heart of the town is Victorian/early 20th century

50 of the town’s buildings are listed grade II

The Parish Church of St Mary’s is listed grade I

The University of Luton has 1,600 study bedrooms in 11 self-catering halls of residence for first-year students

Good housing certainly isn't in short supply in Luton. The town centre has a wealth of period architecture, with well over 50 buildings listed as grade II. Here, the dwellings are typically Victorian or early 20th century. With bags of character and charm, they are ideal for people looking to enjoy an urban lifestyle.

As you head out of the centre, the housing generally becomes progressively more contemporary, with a choice ranging from 1950s and 1960s developments, to brand new executive homes.

There are prices to suit most pockets, and they are significantly lower than for similar accommodation in London and other parts of the South East. Prices in the lively rental market are also highly competitive.

But Luton isn't just known for the quality of its housing stock - it's also working hard to improve the quality of home life. One recent innovation is Home Zones. Essentially residential streets where people and cyclists come before vehicles, the biggest – Lewsey Home Zone – covers 13 streets.

Shopping

Right at the heart of the town, the Arndale Shopping Centre has 130 stores, three integrated car parks with 2,300 spaces, The Arndale Playgroup and Crèche and the Luton Shopmobility scheme. The surrounding traditional shopping streets and Luton's famous markets perfectly complement the Centre, and act as yet another testament to the town's diversity.

Transport

Luton has 2 national mainline railway stations

London Luton Airport is home to nearly 50 tour operators, with nine airlines flying to over 60 destinations across the UK and Europe

6.2 million passengers use London Luton Airport every year

Luton has a joined-up transport policy, including new park-and-ride facilities and cycle lanes

There are plans to create a Translink service to the airport and Dunstable

An investment of £100 million, Translink will be environmentally friendly and ultra-efficient

With the sheer pace of modern life, Luton's superb transport links are proving more valuable than ever to people travelling into, around, and out of the town.

Situated just off the country's primary M1 motorway, only a few minutes from the M25 and 30 miles from the centre of London, Luton has excellent road connections. No fewer than three railway stations serve the town. The capital is just 24 minutes away. Looking further afield, there are fast national rail connections to Leeds, Sheffield and beyond to the north, and a direct service to Gatwick and Brighton to the south.

Those with their eyes on international travel need go no further than London Luton Airport. Currently the UK's seventh largest, it's also the fastest growing airport in the country, handling more than six million passengers every year. Its expansion is hardly surprising, given the ever-increasing number of routes to a wide range of destinations from Athens to Zurich as well as a wide range of cities in the UK.

When it comes to getting around the town, there is a vigorous policy to increase the attractiveness of cycling as a healthy, non-polluting alternative to the private car. The strategy includes the provision of a cycle-friendly infrastructure and setting priorities for action.

Business

Today, Luton has a broader economic and commercial base than ever, with a host of major national and global businesses offering the local community an extensive range of career prospects.

Vauxhall Motors maintains its long-standing presence in Luton, with UK headquarters and a European Customer Care Centre based in the town. Its sister company IBC also has a major manufacturing facility here. Other names on the impressive list of local employers include Anritsu, Barclays Bank, Ernst & Young, Interbrew, ntl, Rexam, Siemens and Whitbread. Alongside these can be found the various major airline and travel companies associated with the airport, such as Britannia Airways, easyJet, Alteon, Monarch, Ryanair and Thomson Travel.

As if that wasn’t enough, AstraZeneca – one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturers – and BAe Systems have chosen to develop state-of-the-art facilities at the Capability Green business park. And indeed, high quality business centres like this are playing a major part in attracting such prestigious organisations to Luton.

The effect on the landscape has been dramatic; and the effect on the local workforce equally so, as Luton’s skilled, ambitious workforce embraces the town’s ever-expanding job opportunities.

Education

Luton University specialises in vocational, employment-based courses

It leads the field in areas like business, marketing and public relations

The university has links with over 2,000 companies

More than £50 million has been spent on new academic and accommodation facilities in the last ten years

1 in 3 students at Luton University are from ethnic minorities

Nearly half are mature students, aged over 24

The male to female ratio is 40:60

Teaching quality assessments place Luton well in the top half of the universities league table

Luton 6th Form College is the country’s oldest

Of Luton’s 12 high schools, one is Catholic

Barnfield College is the first and only further education college of it's kind to achieve Beacon Status.

The University of Luton’s contribution to the town’s economic renaissance cannot be ignored. With its emphasis on professional and vocational courses, extensive business links and strong teaching standards, it has twice finished top of the annual national graduate employment tables. This is hardly surprising when you learn that some 97% of the university’s 12,000 students find work suited to their degrees within six months of graduation.

It’s a university with universal appeal. Some 140 countries are represented among the student population, giving the university a diverse, multicultural flavour to rival the wider town’s – which is why focus groups have found students describing the environment as ‘lively’, ‘friendly’, ‘busy’, ‘sociable’, ‘modern’ and benefiting from ‘a good ethnic mix’.

Moreover, the university’s success is mirrored at all academic levels. To start with, the Children’s Information Service takes a supportive, progressive approach to pre-school teaching and childcare. From there, the 70 or so nursery, infant and junior schools, and 12 high schools ensure that the town’s future is well looked after. Between school and university, the country’s oldest 6th form college and Barnfield FE College share a reputation for excellent teaching standards. And finally, to prove that age is no barrier to learning, the University of the Third Age has a number of groups active here.

Environment

Dunstable Downs, Whipsnade Wild Animal Kingdom and Woburn Abbey are all within a short drive of the town centre

Woburn Safari Park is set in 3,000 acres of the North Chilterns and has been home to the Earl of Bedford since 1574

The Queen used to be a regular at Luton Hoo stately home on her wedding anniversary

Luton Hoo is regularly used as a location for filming. Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow and pop star Ronan Keating are among the high profile stars to visit

One of the first big surprises awaiting newcomers is the sheer amount of greenery in and around the town. It’s a little-known fact that Luton is home to several nationally significant sites of special scientific interest, such as areas of Bronze Age grassland and wildlife sites with an illustrious range of wildflowers and butterflies. Plus, as well as being situated within the breathtaking North Chilterns area of outstanding natural beauty, the town itself houses seven landscaped parks. So it’s easy to lose yourself in natural splendour.

With around 600 hectares of parks and public open space, there’s plenty of opportunity to relax. The nationally renowned Stockwood Park alone features period gardens, a leading crafts museum, stable complex and extensive golfing facilities; and Wardown Park, on the River Lea and at the heart of the town, offers everything from sporting facilities to a museum, gallery and formal gardens.

That said, it’s by venturing out a few miles that you’ll discover the true delights of the surrounding countryside. Nestling among the gently rolling hills and downs are unspoilt villages and places of national interest such as Woburn Abbey and Whipsnade Wild Animal Kingdom. All of which makes Luton an ideal place to get closer to nature, without ever straying far from the town.

Culture

During Luton International Carnival in late May, thousands of dancers, bands and floats flood the streets

Stockwood Park hosts ‘Park Life’, a major annual open air festival of arts, culture and entertainment and includes Luton Mela, a showcase for Asian music, crafts, fashion, food and performing arts

Amongst the landscaped parks and hundred or so listed buildings, Luton plays host to a thriving cultural scene that represents all parts of the community.

Undoubtedly the biggest event on the cultural calendar is Luton International Carnival, which has been held since 1976 and is more popular than ever. Now the largest one-day carnival in Europe, it attracts upwards of 140,000 people to the town on the late May Bank Holiday and stands as an unmistakable symbol of Luton’s pledge to cultural harmony.

Cultural events throughout the year are just as diverse, ranging from the highly regarded Symphonia Academica classical music concerts and community festivals to the annual, internationally renowned Filmstock film festival. All the while, the Library Theatre nourishes the soul with everything from music, cinema and comedy to professional, amateur and children’s theatre.

Crucially, to ensure Luton’s cultural future is as rich as its past, the ‘Hat Factory’ Arts and Media Centre has devised an exciting ‘start-up’ initiative to assist cutting-edge local creative business and community arts organisations. The same venue also houses a performing venue, exhibition and conference centre, and accompanying restaurant and café.

Leisure

Stockwood Park is the home of an athletics club, 18-hole public golf course, Junior Golf Academy and 24-bay floodlit driving range

Luton Borough Council provides sporting and social facilities from six specific leisure sites

More than 130 outdoor sports pitches across the town provide facilities for sports including football, rugby, cricket, bowls, hockey, tennis, badminton and netball

Luton has six swimming pools and two golf courses

There’s certainly no shortage of sporting action in Luton. Football fans can follow the fortunes of Luton Town FC at Kenilworth Road, and the town is also home to two rugby union clubs – Luton RFC and Stockwood Park RFC – a number of fledgling basketball teams and an athletics club.

For those looking to participate rather than spectate, Stockwood Park’s athletics track is open to everyone from the casual jogger to the hardened competitor, and its 18-hole golf course has been voted the best public course in the South East.

A number of health clubs offer top quality health and fitness facilities, as do seven leisure centres, four of which incorporate swimming pools. Over 130 outdoor pitches, greens and courts provide amenities for sports such as football, rugby, cricket, bowls, hockey, tennis, badminton and netball. And anyone keen to take to the skies can do just that, with gliding, hang-gliding and paragliding over the Dunstable Downs.

There’s as much here to exercise the mind as the body too. The nationally significant hat and lace collection at the Luton Museum and Gallery in Wardown Park is a proud product of Luton’s textile and hat making heritage. The same museum contains a collection of ancient artefacts including a collection of Roman coins that’s recently been declared a national treasure. Similarly, the Mossman collection of horse-drawn carriages in Stockwood Craft Museum and Gardens is one of the finest displays of its kind in the country.

Entertainment

When the sun goes down, Luton really comes to life. So after a hard day’s shopping in the town centre, a full suite of entertainment awaits.

Family entertainment begins at the Galaxy Centre, which is home to the country’s first town centre multiplex cinema, plus a bowling complex.

Food lovers will find a pleasing variety of restaurants and eateries around the town, with cuisines ranging from traditional English to French, Thai, Greek, Italian, Chinese and Indian.

Luton’s pubs and bars range from the quiet to the lively; the traditional to the ultra-modern; from low-priced to highly sophisticated. And the burgeoning club scene is just as diverse and impressive, with a number receiving national recognition and one rated among the UK’s true superclubs.

All in all, a night out in Luton has something for everyone. And even on those rare occasions when it’s London or bust, Luton’s location once again comes into its own, with the West End no more than 40 minutes away.